The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-10-29
FIRST DAY.-WEDNEsDAY MORN.
ING, OCT. 10.

The program issued by the Commit
tee of the Board Of Trustees called for
an opening Devotional Service in the
church of the Divine Paternity, on
Fifth Avenue-the noble edifice with
which the later years of the distin-
guished ministry Of DIR. E. II, Chaplin
was associated-at 8 o'clock. 1t was
half past nine before the exercises be-
gan. Rev. Marion Crosley, Of Maine,
was the leader of the meeting. Owing
to the late beginning, and the confusion
attending the arrival of delegates, it
was not a satisfactory conference meet
ing. The speakers were DR.. 0. F. SAT-
ford, Of New York; Deacon Pitcher, Of
Rhode Island; and Rev. Q. H. Shinn,
of Maine. The venerable Deacon Pitch
r,--sightysszs9se3 Eaars= ef age. nades an
address feTvent in the utterance of
Christian faith and hope, but there was
no opportunity for prolonging the devO-
tiOnal hour.
Precisely at 10 o'clock, President E.
G. Sweetser called the Convention to
order, and prayer was offered by DR.. J.
NJ Pullman, of Massachusetts,. The
roll was called by Secretary Demarest.
He charged the members to make their
responses in distinct and audible tones.
When the Massachusetts delegation
was named, the response from Rev. DR..
Sawyer, now in his eighty second year,
was clear, sharp and vigorous-an eX-
ample to the younger members. AT
the close the Secretary announced: "The
roll is concluded and quorum is pres
ent.o The Secretary appointed as his
assistants, Rev. J. N. Emery, of Yer
mont; and Rev. F, A. Bisbee, of Penn
sylvania The President named the
Committee on Elections, Charles Cav
erly, of Massachusetts, Chairman. The
Administration of the Lords Supper
followed, Rev. G. II. Eaton, pastor of
the Fifth Avenue Church presiding
The service consisted of Scriptural Sc
lections and brief prayer before the dis
tribution of the emblems. Reys. r. II.
Pullman, j. S. Cantwell, Marion CrOs-
ley, and @, H. Shinn served as DeacOns
During the service the organ was played
with rare skill, in tender and beautiful
tones, and the choir rendered appropri-
ate selections. The service was neces-
sarily prolonged, the congregation,
which filled the pews to the door, being
served with the sacred emblems. The
participation in the rite was general.
1t was an exceedingly impressive hour
The cole ction for the Gum Fund which
followed real zed nearly S475.
After the Communion Service came
The Occasional Sermon.
This was preached by Rev. DR.. e. @.
Bowles, Of New York. HIS text was Rev.
iii. S.1I. The sermon was profoundly
character istic. The particulars in which
D.. Bolles' gifts are simply unique, had
full scope. In metaphor, comparisons
and in painting for the ear, as the gener-
al artist paints for the eye, he was at his
best, For just an hour and ten min
utes-the sermon coming after the ses,
sion had been greatly prolonged-the
audience was profoundly quiet and at
tentive to the close. Not even a verbatim
report could present the sermon to the
! eye as the speaker presented it to the
ear, We attempt no report proper; we
can perhaps give the naked posts, joints
and rsfters upon which the sermon w5s
| constructed. 1t Was something like this:
As every citizen Of a genuine republic
is in essential regards the republic itself;
SO every one who truly embodies the
Spirit is the church he represents. The
Revelator describes the divine message.
1t has had q progressive unfolding from
the days OF the Master till now. Misap.
preheneiOn and perveryion have called up
a succession OF PrOtesters; the "heretical
Fathers" of the first centuries Of the
church, SaVonarola and Luther, and the